The Press-Dispatch

March 15, 2023

The Press-Dispatch

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Wednesday, March 15, 2023 The Press-Dispatch A-3 LOCAL Submit news items: Call: 812-354-8500 Email: news@pressdispatch.net READER'S GUIDE Subscriptions: Change of address: subscribers changing addresses will please give old address as well as new one along with phone number. We cannot guarantee prompt change unless this is done. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Heartland Media Group, LLC, P.O. Box 275, Fowler, 47944-0275 or email hmgcirculation@ gmail.com or call 765-884-1902. Subscription rates as of Jan. 1, 2023: One year: $42 for Pike County; $48 elsewhere in Indiana; out-of-state: $63. Paid in ad- vance. Subscriptions taken after noon on Friday will not receive a paper until the second edition after their subscription date. About us: Don Hurd, Publisher Sherri Griffin, Editor Andy Heuring, Sports/News .Pam Lemond, Adv. Sales Cindy Petty, Adv. Sales • • • Published every Wednesday by Heartland Media Group, LLC. Phone: 812-354-8500 P.O. Box 68, Petersburg, IN 47567-0068 • • • Entered in the Post Office in Petersburg, Indiana for transmission through the mails as Periodical Mail, postage paid at Petersburg, Indiana – published weekly. (USPS 205-620) Contact us: Main Phone: .............................................................. 812-354-8500 Circulation: ............................................................... 765-884-1902 Editor sherri@pressdispatch.net Advertising ads@pressdispatch.net General News news@pressdispatch.net Circulation hmgcirculation@gmail.com Karan Thacker, AFSP Owner 704 E. Haub Street Haubstadt, IN 47639 THACKER TAX SERVICE 906 Blackfoot Drive Fort Branch, IN 47648 812-615-0071 (offi ce) 812-789-3852 (cell) kthacker01@gmail.com Transformed YouTh minisTries 245 S. Glezen Center St., PeterSburG, In AGeS: 11-18 text/CAll 812-582-1523 for Info DEVO & OPEN GYM WednesdaYs 6:30p.m.-8 p.m. READI Funding Leverages $153 million In Investments for Southern Indiana The Indiana First readI region met with area stake- holders today to provide updates on 19 economic de- velopment projects approved to receive funding from the state's regional economic acceleration and develop- ment Initiative. The group hosted a morning reception to announce its $15 million readI award will leverage as much as $153 million in ad- ditional investments through- out the region. The Indiana First region in- cludes harrison, Knox, Perry, Pike, and spencer counties, which are also members of the southwest Indiana devel- opment council (sWIdc). representatives say the proj- ects have met all the neces- sary requirements to receive readI grant funding. The projects include nine housing developments across all five counties, resulting in more than 290 single-family homes, and 180 apartments, which represents $7.5 million for public infrastructure, and $101 million in local public + private investments. The Indiana First region, recog- nizing a critical need for ad- ditional housing in all coun- ties throughout the region, is focusing much of its readI grant award on housing. "The shortage of quality, affordable housing in our region is among the great- est challenges to econom- ic growth," said Jon craig, chairman of the Indiana First committee. "The In- diana First region is focus- ing our efforts to address these gaps." There are six economic and workforce development projects being funded, which account for $5.6 million of readI funding, and will leverage another $50 million in local investments. These projects include workforce training for health careers, in- dustrial park improvements, and a case study for previous- ly mined lands. Quality of place initiatives are also among the proj- ects, and include more than $580,000 in readI funds to support park improvements, a sports complex, and reno- vations to an amphitheater. These projects will leverage another $3.5 million in local + private matching funds. about Indiana First The Indiana First readI region includes harrison, Knox, Perry, Pike, and spen- cer counties in southwest In- diana. The region was award- ed $15 million from the state's readI program, intended to accelerate projects that will enhance the area's quality of life, and increase competitive- ness for economic growth. about readI Indiana's nationally recog- nized regional economic ac- celeration and development Initiative (readI), adminis- tered by the Indiana econom- ic development corp., allocat- ed $500 million in initial fund- ing for projects which will improve the quality of place, and quality of opportunity, in communities throughout the state. It also encourages a new level of regional col- laboration that bring mutual stakeholders together to de- termine for themselves the future of their communities. Many hands make light work Pike County Leadership Community Projects By Jill Hyneman correspondent news@pressdispatch.net One of the things the Pike county Leadership does is pick a community project. They spent the first few months working on ideas for a community project. each participant had an opportu- nity to suggest a project and then vote on the list of com- munity projects. "The Pike county Leader- ship group has recognized the need for safe spaces for the people of Pike county to be outdoors and experi- ence life," Lauren Gray Pike county Leadership Program participant, said. "We're try- ing to help create those spac- es by getting seating for the Winslow park and involving the community throughout the process." The Pike county Leader- ship class decided to join in the beautification and devel- opment of Winslow Indiana Park. The leadership pro- gram members are collecting bottle caps to make benches and seating from the caps. The types of caps they are collecting are drinking bot- tle caps, yogurt, butter lids, mayonnaise lids, detergent caps, chip can lids, ice cream plastic lids, and hair prod- uct caps. you can collect and drop off your lids at the following locations: elmer Buchta Technology center, Jay c's, Purdue extension Office, inside the courthouse, Pike county Public Librar- ies, calorita Food & Prep, and Farm Bureau Insurance. The leadership group will be collecting until april 4. "We have received many large quantities from community organizations, but we still need more," Brooke Goble Pike county Leadership Pro- gram participant, said. The leadership class will also be participating in volunteer workdays at the Winslow Park. This past sunday, March 12, members of the Leadership Program volunteered with the Winslow community to help continue their progress. Volunteers were supposed to paint but the weather got in the way of those plans. They still made progress picking up limbs, clearing out two stor- age buildings, and moving benches around. Bridget Butcher, rachel Trabant, Brooke Goble, Lindsey din - no, Lauren Gray and cassie harker showed up from the leadership program to help with those tasks. "The program has value beyond measure to make a better future for our chil- dren and grandchildren," cassie harker Pike county Leadership Program partic- ipant, said. harker was an advocate for the Leadership group to join in on the prog- ress Winslow Parks from the beginning of the Leadership Program. The Pike county Purdue extension and Pike coun- ty chamber of commerce collaborated to provide the Leadership Pike county Program. If you have questions about the leadership program or how to help with caps for their community project call the Purdue extension office at 812-354-6838. The class of 2022/2023 Pike County Leadership Program participants visited Pike Central High School for their past session regarding education on March 7. Back row: Rachel Trabant, Jacob Sisk, Lauren Gray, Olivia Howald, , Cassie Harker, and Mike Byerly , and front row: Kelli Jenkins, Brooke Goble, Bridget Butcher, Lindsey Denno, Adam Houchin, and Jessica Adam. Garden Club meets The March meeting of the Petersburg Garden Club met at Rumbletown Methodist Church with hostesses Doris Bellamy and Jeanine Houchins. Linda Cornelious was the guest speaker. Pike County Sheriff pleads with County Council for additional staff By Sherri Griffin editor sherri@pressdispatch.net Pike county sheriff Jason McKinney came to the Tues- day county council meet- ing prepared with data from surrounding counties and across the state to show the council members just how understaffed the Pike county sheriff's department is. "We need to keep our people safe and we can't," McKinney said to the coun- cil members. "We're doing everything we can." McKin- ney contacted other sheriff departments with similar populations to Pike county and told council members that they (Pike county sher- iff's department) have the least coverage and deputies of any comparable county in the state, with the same pop- ulation. McKinney read off numbers that were at times double what Pike county has as far as deputies are con- cerned. "I am a working sher- iff," McKinney said. "I have no problem working. chief deputy Killian is working 12 hour shifts also." McKinney stated that there are three to four jury trials coming up which takes deputies away, transports that have to be done, and that one new depu- ty was hired, but that they are in the academy and will not be done until May. McKin- ney stated that in one month, there were 47 new inmates, 14 arrests, 184 traffic stops and 272 calls. "Things have been neglected," McKinney said. "We have the same cameras at the jail as we did in 1990." Pike county emergency Management director chris young stood up and ap- proached the council. young stated that they called for back-up and none came be- cause there wasn't anyone available. McKinney was asked by council members how much Indiana state Troopers help with calls and McKinney stated that out of approximately 800 calls, the state responded to about 252. "They do help, but it's not enough," McKinney said. "I just want you guys to take this under consideration be- cause I'll be back again next month." In other business, Pike county highway super- intendent Josh Byrd ap- proached the council about the purchase of a new rubber tired excavator at a cost of $237,289.07. Byrd stated that the current excavator that is used daily by the department was broke down and could cost up to $16,000 to fix. "I saw a chance to save money," Byrd said. "If we purchase the machine now, we can save $33,000. The current ma- chine is a 2011, with 11,000 hours on it and is currently in the shop. It makes sense to save money instead of wait- ing until next year's budget to purchase the same machine. The cost will be $270,000 then. council member Greg Willis suggested an advance on next year's budget for the machine, with adjustments made at budget time. "realis- tically, I can hold off on equip- ment for next year's budget," Byrd said. "We are in good shape. a lot of our equipment has been upgraded. a mo- tion was made to support the purchase of a replacement excavator with the quote provided unanimously. It will now be up to the Pike county commissioners to move for- ward and approve additional appropriations. Pike county emergency Management director ryan Benner requested additional appropriations in the amount of $4,563, for the purchase of a new thermal imaging drone to replace the outdated drone that is not financially respon- sible to repair. The council members approved the re- quest unanimously. Pike county coroner raymond Brooks request- ed a transfer of funds in the amount of $400 for cartridg- es for a scanner, printer, and copier. The council approved the request unanimously. Pike county emergency Medical services direc- tor chris young, asked for a transfer of funds in the amount of $5,000 to pay Mal- con services for figuring the fuel reimbursement that was due the county. The transfer was approved unanimously by the council. Kristi dischinger, com- missioner assistant, spoke to the council members regard- ing bids on the courthouse windows. dischinger stated that they open bids for the windows and only had one bid that was over $1 million and it was rejected due to not have the proper paperwork. dischinger stated that they have reached out to approx- imately eight different com- panies to encourage them to enter bids for the windows in the past week and that they have advertised the bidding process. The next Pike county council meeting will be held on Monday, april 11, begin- ning at 8:30 a.m. at the Pike county courthouse. The pub- lic is encouraged to attend these meetings. Advertise in our classifieds: garage sales, vehicles for sale, employment opportunities, real estate for sale and rentals, services, contractors, and much more! Call or email Pam at 812-354-8500 or plemond@pressdispatch.net

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